


(Day 14) Reciprocity

by mydwynter



Series: January Sherlock Vignette Challenge [14]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, January Sherlock Vignette Challenge, Oh Molly, Sherlock is crow-like, follow up piece, post post-reichenbach, self-referential
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-24
Updated: 2013-01-24
Packaged: 2017-11-26 18:56:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/653393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mydwynter/pseuds/mydwynter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Lestrade is huddled in a group by the drinks table with Molly and John and Sherlock and Gregson and Melinda from Forensics. Sherlock is being oddly friendly, interacting with apparent interest and almost </i>sparkling<i> with charisma. All six of them trade jokes and barbs for nearly an hour before John and Molly find themselves left alone.</i></p><p>Months on, it turns out John and Molly have a little more to say.</p>
            </blockquote>





	(Day 14) Reciprocity

**Author's Note:**

> My mind rebels in stagnation. So every day for the month of January…well, I had PLANNED on posting a Sherlock vignette, born out of prompts from generators and friends alike, little pieces written quickly and posted, sketches made from words. But these best laid plans went massively aglay due to travel and sickness, so I have a lot of catching up to do. January was a _terrible_ time to do this, it turns out. Terrible.
> 
> Today's prompt via [Moonblossom's Sherlock Prompt Generator](http://moonblossom.net/prompter/): John, Molly, hurt/comfort, NSY, "holidays".
> 
> Thanks to Mazarin221B for the beta.

The music is bad, and people aren't really dancing. They're just standing around making small talk, drinking vapourously-strong punch and subtly ogling each other in their holiday best.

Lestrade is huddled in a group by the drinks table with Molly and John and Sherlock and Gregson and Melinda from Forensics. Sherlock is being oddly friendly, interacting with apparent interest and almost _sparkling_ with charisma. All six of them trade jokes and barbs for nearly an hour before John and Molly find themselves left alone.

"He's changed," she says, staring at Sherlock across the room. With effusive flaps of his nine-yard, crow-like wingspan he appears to be trying to convince the DJ to play something, but instead of getting angry she just seems to be getting more and more amused.

"He has," John agrees, and they both stare at Sherlock in silence for a moment. "He's gone through…some stuff."

Molly winces, very slightly. "I know. I mean, I've heard."

John looks at her pensively. "I'm not angry with you, you know. Anymore. I understand the logic of it."

She swallows. "You can understand the reason for something and still be angry about it."

He inclines his head and takes a gulp to finish his drink.

"I wouldn't think two of months of healing would be enough time to balance out eighteen months of…whatever you want to call it. Pain. It's okay to still be angry with me. You should be." She swallows and looks away. "You should be. I was the secret-keeper."

"So was Mycroft," he points out.

She shrugs. "Different." He sags a little and picks at the plastic rim of his empty cup. "I wanted to tell you," she adds.

"You've said."

"No, I mean specifically. I almost told you, that one time."

He looks at her curiously. "When?"

"When we were at Angelo's."

"When we were…ah."

"Yeah." She blushed. "I almost told you. I said you deserved to know. Do you remember?"

John's brow furrows as he considers this, then his expression turns embarrassed. "I…thought you were talking about…you know. Sherlock's, er, feelings."

"I was, at first." She studies him. "But then I was talking about the fact that he's alive. I've always thought you deserved to know."

John takes a steadying breath. "I wish you had. But I'm glad you didn't."

"You are?" Her eyes are wide.

"I think… I think Sherlock was probably right. If I'd known he was alive, my… I don't think I could…sham grief. Not well, at any rate. Not well enough." John looks fondly at Sherlock, who appears to be making the DJ laugh with some tall tale, and breaks into a grin.

Molly looks between him and Sherlock with a shaky smile. "Of course you couldn't," she says, obviously trying to prop up that smile with sheer will.

John glances at her and deflates a little. "I'm sorry, Molly," he says gently.

She waves it away. "No. No worries." Her brave expression is starting to falter.

He gives her a sympathetic smile. "I never thanked you."

This seems to surprise her out of her wobble. "For?"

"Being, er, his 'secret-keeper'. For helping him."

"Oh." She blushes. "You're welcome."

"I think you're the only one who could have done it."

The smile she gives him is small but sincere. "Thanks, John. It's nice of you to say."

"I mean it." He glances at Sherlock, then back at her. " _Thank you_."

She ducks her head and smiles. "You're welcome."

Sherlock appears to be gathering a crowd, but it's unclear for what, and John grimaces. "Listen," he says, "I'm gonna…" He tilts his head in Sherlock's direction. Then he steps in close and squeezes her upper arm, then places a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you again," he murmurs, and leaves her at a quick walk to go investigate the ruckus.

Molly blushes deeper. "You're welcome," she murmurs to no one, and spins on her heel to get a refill of the punch.


End file.
